Former Pilot Faces Sentencing After Midair Engine Incident

A former pilot for Alaska Airlines, Joseph Emerson, is scheduled for sentencing in federal court on October 23, 2023, following a serious incident where he attempted to disable the engines of a passenger flight while off-duty. Emerson’s actions took place on a Horizon Air flight traveling from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco, resulting in an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon, with over 80 passengers on board.

In September, Emerson entered guilty pleas and no-contest pleas to charges stemming from both federal and state cases. According to his attorney, Noah Horst, Emerson aimed to take responsibility for his actions and minimize his potential prison time. Federal prosecutors are seeking a one-year prison sentence, while his defense team has requested probation.

On October 22, 2023, Emerson was in an extra seat in the cockpit when he attempted to cut the engines. Flight crew members intervened, physically restraining him and ensuring the flight’s safe landing. Emerson later explained to authorities that he was in a state of distress following the death of a friend, had consumed psychedelic mushrooms two days prior, and had not slept for over 40 hours. He claimed he believed he was dreaming and was trying to “wake himself up” by reaching for two red handles that would have activated the plane’s fire suppression system and cut fuel to the engines.

Emerson, a resident of Pleasant Hill, California, faces serious charges. In federal court, he was charged with interfering with a flight crew. Additionally, a state indictment in Oregon included 83 counts of endangering another person and one count of endangering an aircraft. After his arrest, he was released on conditions that included undergoing mental health services and maintaining distance from aircraft.

In September, he received a state court sentence of 50 days in jail, with credit for time served, along with five years of probation. The court also mandated 664 hours of community service—eight hours for each person endangered—along with over $60,000 in restitution, primarily to Alaska Air Group. Notably, half of his community service can be completed at a nonprofit organization he founded focused on pilot health after his arrest.

Federal prosecutors highlighted the seriousness of the incident in their sentencing memo, stating: “It was only through the heroic actions of the flight crew, who were able to physically restrain the defendant and restore normal operations of the aircraft, that no lives were lost that day.”

Despite this, a pre-sentence report from federal probation officers recommended a sentence of time served, coupled with three years of supervised release and six months of home detention. Emerson’s attorneys argued that the state prosecution already imposed “substantial punishment,” advocating for probation instead of further incarceration.

Reflecting on the incident during proceedings, Emerson expressed gratitude to the flight crew for their swift actions, which he described as “the greatest gift I ever got.” He acknowledged the loss of his career and time spent in jail but emphasized that it forced him to confront his mental health challenges and issues with alcohol.

The situation has reignited discussions about cockpit safety and the mental fitness of individuals in such critical roles. The airline indicated that there were no signs of impairment that would have barred Emerson from the cockpit prior to the incident, raising further questions about the procedures in place for off-duty pilots.